Warriors close out season with 17-10 win over FDU-Florham

MADISON, N.J. – Sophomore Parker Showers (Aspers, Pa./Biglerville) posted his first career 100-yard ruishing game and the Lycoming College football team's young defensive front line posed problems for FDU-Florham all day long, posting four sacks and six tackles for loss, all of which helped the Warriors ward off a late-game drive by the Devils to take a 17-14 win in the season finale on Saturday afternoon at Shields Stadium.

The Warriors completed a record-breaking season in 2010, as the team finished with a 6-4 record under third-year coach Mike Clark. Senior Josh Kleinfelter (Bellwood, Pa./Bellwood-Antis) set the school's all-time records for career rushing (3,665) and all-purpose yardage (4,471). Kleinfelter also broke school records by running for more than 100 yards in five straight games and crossing 200 all-purpose yards in three straight games, also a first.

The Devils started the first possession with good field position after a 31-yard kick return from Bayshawn Wells to the 47-yard line. From there, the Devils marched 46 yards down the field on 10 plays, but the Warriors kept the Devils out of the end zone, as senior Chuck Bellitto (Garden Spot, Pa./New Holland) made a nice play to break up a five-yard pass into the end zone on third down. Travis Mullen converted a 24-yard field goal to take the early 3-0 lead.

The Warriors immediately responded, though, taking off on a four-play drive to score, as freshman Warren Oliver (Palmyra, N.J./Beverly Township) started the drive by taking the kickoff to the 43-yard line before he ran the opening play on a reverse for a first down. On the next play, Kleinfelter, playing with an upper-body injury, rolled for 29 yards, making a couple nice moves en route. After another six-yard run by Kleinfelter to move to the 12-yard line, sophomore Zach Klinger (Halifax, Pa./Halifax) rolled out to the left and found senior Mike Reese (Shenandoah, Pa./Shenandoah) at the four-yard line. Reese turned and leaped for the pylon for the touchdown.

The Warrior defense took over from there, even forcing the Devils to pooch punt after they took possession at the 32-yard line early in the second quarter. The offense responded soon after with a six-play, 74-yard drive, as Showers capped a drive by rushing 27 yards off a wildcat formation play for the touchdown to take a 14-3 lead with 10:27 left in the half.

From there, though each time moved the ball successfully, neither could add to the scoreboard, with junior Ray Bierbach (Hunlock Creek, Pa./Northwest Area) picking off his MAC-leading sixth pass of the year at the 10-yard line and returning it near midfield.

FDU-Florham drove down to the 30-yard line on their first drive of the second half, but sophomore Ryan Fenningham (Philadelphia, Pa./Father Judge) picked a pass at the five-yard line with an athletic play.

However, a fumble on the next play, a fumbled snap gave the Devils the ball at the three-yard line and Brandon Griffin scored on a run on the next play to cut the Warriors' lead to four points.

Both teams saw a pair of drives stall before sophomore Joe Hargis (Hollidaysburg, Pa./Hollidaysburg) nearly blocked an FDU punt near the 25-yard line and the resulting 15-yard punt gave the Warriors the ball at the 40-yard line. Kleinfelter drove the ball 21 yards on four carries before senior T.J. Chiarolanza (Warminster, Pa./William Tenant) drilled a career-long 37-yard field field goal with 2:56 left to give the Warriors a 17-10 lead with 2:56 left in the game.

The Devils once again got a good kick return to the 44-yard line by Wells, and got into Lycoming's half of the field with a five-yard first down on third-and-five and a pass interferance penalty brought the Devils to the 36-yard line. A pair of passes from Jeffers moved the ball to the 23 and a rush moved it to the 21 with 1:24 left. On the next play, junior Anthony Marascio (Philadelphia, Pa./Father Judge) nearly had a sack and Jeffers got out of the wrap and lofted pass that was caught by Andrew Scamporino and his momentum carried him out of bounds in the right corner of the end zone, preventing the Devils from the touchdown. A pair of passes were overthrown and the Warriors were able to run out the clock.

Showers, forced into extended action due to Kleinfelter's injury, ran for 104 yards and a score on 17 carries and Kleinfelter managed to finish with 95 yards on just 14 carries to finish his season with a career-high 1,212 yards, fourth in school history. Senior Ryan Wagaman (Aspers, Pa./Biglerville) finished his career with a 93-yard day, making five catches to finish the year with a career-high 917 yards, the sixth-most in school history. Klinger finished 14-of-23 for 157 yards with one score. Senior Josh Dixon (Fleetville, Pa./Lackawanna Trail) posted four catches for 30 yards in his last action.

Marascio led the Warriors with nine tackles and one sack and freshman Kabongo Bukasa (Sharon Hill, Pa./Academy Park) posted eight tackles, two for a loss and a sack. Fenningham posted seven tackles and an interception and sophomore Roger Jayne (Harvey's Lake, Pa./Lake Lehman) posted six tackles and an interception. Bellitto finished with three tackles to finish his career with 272 career stops, fourth-most in school history.

Wells led the Devils with 123 all-purpose yards, as he posted 56 on the ground and 62 through kick return. Jeffers finished 16-of-37 for 160 yards to go with two interceptions. Doug Van Orden added six receptions for 48 yards. Gilbert Taylor posted nine tackles and Gino Abbate posted seven for the Devils. Steve Hoverson notched six tackles, including two for a loss. Ian Moore picked up a fumble and added six stops.